“Forever.”
I’m still staring at the screen when she disappears, my feet cemented to the floor. I feel like calling her back, but I can’t put my finger on why. Of course I miss her, but there’s more to it. Instead of our conversations easing me, lately, they always leave me with a sense of discomfort.
“Hey, rainbow!” Kimmie calls from downstairs, making me jolt. “Can you hurry or something? Are you even alive up there?”
Shaking off the strange sensation, I grab my backpack and race down the stairs. My jaw drops just before I enter the kitchen. Banners, streamers, and enormous balloons fill the entire room. Honestly, it looks like a toddler threw up birthday decorations in here.
And I absolutely love it.
“Happy birthday, Blue,” Rebecca says, appearing at my side and squeezing my shoulders. “I hope this is okay. I tried to tell Tim it was a bit over-the-top, but he wasn’t having it.”
“There she is!” Tim bellows behind me. I whirl around to see my dad holding a cupcake inches from my face.
We stare at each other, and I swallow when I notice his eyes are glassy.
“Happy birthday.”
A long exhale pours out of me as I take the cupcake.
I’ve been feeling it more and more lately, the weaker parts of my heart threatening to crack. Especially when I focus too hard on my dad and all the time we’ve lost. But it’s only when I’m standing right in front of him that the sensation builds so much it scares me.
He fidgets with his collar and clears his throat. “I, um, I didn’t know what kind of decorations you’d like, or if this is even something you’d want,”—he looks around the space—“but, well, I have a lot of birthdays to catch up on, and ...”
“I love it. Thank you.”
He inspects me for a minute, then he presses his lips together and nods. “Oh, except I can’t take credit for the cupcake. Last night, Rebecca baked you a huge cake, but then Kimmie here spotted some dairy that snuck into the ingredients.” He gestures to Kimmie, who’s leaning against the wall with a bored expression, examining her cuticles. “She actually made this one for you herself. Whipped it up pretty last minute too.”
“Really?” I step toward her, my brows shooting up. “Kimmie, thank—”
“Oh my god, it’s a freaking cupcake.” She pushes off the wall and walks toward the front door adjusting her backpack. “Just don’t blame me if it tastes like crap. Blame it on your weird vegan ingredients.”
After she exits, the back door creaks open, and my attention snaps toward the sound. My pulse races, going into overdrive. Joshua’s standing in the doorway, his strong frame almost filling the space. He’s got his hands in his pockets, his backpack hanging off one shoulder.
“Sorry to interrupt,” he mutters, glancing at my dad before focusing on me. When we lock eyes, one side of his mouth slowly hooks up. “Happy birthday, hippie.”
My stomach does somersaults so fast I can hardly keep up. All it takes is one look from him to make me forget the lingering ache behind my heart.
“Thanks,” I say quietly, heat rising up my cheeks.
His lips twitch. “Can I give you a ride to school?”
A throat clears, and I turn to see my dad rubbing his hands together. “Think that’s my cue.” He looks between me and Joshua. “You kids have fun. Take care of my birthday girl, will ya?”
Joshua tips his chin, but he doesn’t break his gaze from mine. “Count on it, sir.”
My insides burn deliciously.
So far, this is turning out to be a really,reallygood birthday.
“You got scared.”
With his right hand on the wheel, his left arm resting on the window frame, Joshua gives me a sideways look before facing the road again. “I don’t get scared.”
“Except for last week.”
“What would I be afraid of?”
I arch an eyebrow and take another bite of my cupcake. “Me?”
